All Saints Day or Feast of All Saints, in the Christian Church, is a day commemorating all the Saints of the Church. The origin of All Saints Day cannot be traced with certainty. It has been observed on various days in different places. The first evidence for the November first date of celebration and of the broadening of the festival to include All Saints and all martyrs occurred during the reign of Pope Gregory the third, who dedicated a chapel in Saint Peters, Rome, on November One, in honour of all Saints. In medieval England, the festival was known as All Hallows, and its eve is still known as Halloween.
The holiday is typically observed with a reading of the beatitudes, eight blessings recounted in Jesus Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Mathew. Some also observe All Saints’ Day by leaving offerings of flowers to dead relatives. Others light candles in remembrance and visit the graves of deceased relatives.
One of the features of the All Saints’ Day is praying for the dead. Prayer for the dead is encouraged in the belief that it is helpful for them.
The various prayers for the departed is for peaceful repose of their souls and to comfort the living, as well as remind them of their own mortality. For this reason, memorial services have an air of penitence about them.
So, as Christians the world over celebrated the All Saints’ Day, relentless prayers were said for the state of the Nigerian nation, which has been engulfed in various strife, insecurity, inflation, hunger and starvation.
As Christians remembered the dead Saints, Nigerians also prayed for government intervention to address the problems of bad roads, epileptic power supply, all forms of oppression, as well as for the peace, unity, meaningful change and development in the country.
With daily attacks, abductions and violence devastating innocent lives, there is even more cause for prayer, such divisive tendencies can never be good testimonial for a nation which prides itself as the giant of Africa.
A nationwide prayer seems a panacea for Nigeria to embrace its federal character principles and the indivisibility status.
In the midst of the ongoing protestations, turmoil, youth restiveness and sporadic agitations from various ethnic groups seeking self determination and independence, there is need for nationwide prayer for the Almighty to heal the land.
May this years’ All Saints’ Day be a vehicle for an all round peace and harmony, progress, stability, development and total transformation of the country. May God hear our prayers.
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